Reaching Out
by Reigen Doki
Summary: An incident planet side leaves Jim and Spock shaken, but they can make everything work out, right? Kind-of Pre-slash Jim/Spock. Rated for the author's penchant for cursing.


**Don't own. This is probably so cracky because I'm sick. I'll get back to my real stories, if anyone readying this gives a damn, once my head cold clears up.**

**Enjoy.**

… .. . .. …

James Tiberius Kirk was no coward.

Nor was he a weakling.

The pain he was feeling was real, sharp and biting. His side burned from a well placed shot and his head was reeling. Whatever they had playing over the speakers was drowning out his thoughts. There seemed to be a soft buzzing filtering through his ears, accompanying the distracting, terrifying singing he could hear, to slowly shut off his body.

Stupid diplomat missions.

Fortunately, most of his crew had been needed on board, so he only had one person there with him.

Unfortunately, that person was Spock.

Not that he had a problem with Spock. Not any more at least. It had been an amazing gesture from the Vulcan when he requested the position as Kirk's second in command. After almost six months, they had settled down into a comfortable routine. They had, over a diplomatic mission, learned of their shared…enthusiasm…for chess. The had also spent numerous hours sparring, discussing policy and missions, and just talking about some of the more interesting, science based aspects of working on the Enterprise.

So no, he didn't have a problem with Spock being down on the planet with him. In fact, that usually provided a bit of comfort for him.

Looking at his Commander now, he desperately wished he had brought someone else instead.

If his ears were ringing, Spock's more sensitive ones were sure to be screaming. The amazing Vulcan defenses were nothing to the strange siren call practically beamed directly into their heads.

Spock's face was twisted in pure, unrestrained pain. Jim scrambled the short distance between him and his Commander, as if being closer could somehow provide the answer of what to do. As if realizing he was approaching, Spock's head snapped up, hands still pressed to his ears. There was terror in his dark eyes, a desperate look begging for some kind of relief.

He was still too far away.

Kirk's hand flew from his ear, reaching for Spock. The Commander didn't hesitate for a second, throwing his hand out to catch the other's.

If he had known the importance of hands to a Vulcan…if it had been any other time…he'd have been embarrassed.

Jim just felt relief at the hot spark of his Commander's hand in his. All at once he was being pulled the rest of the distance and up against Spock. He dipped his head against his Captain's shoulder, in too much pain to properly hold himself up.

"Spock?" Kirk shouted, trying to be heard over the sounds.

That clearly wasn't working.

Neither of them thought as Jim started to lift Spock's hand. Spock pressed it firmly to his meld points, trying desperately to convey some message.

All thoughts were lost to the sudden sensation. An entirely different kind of humming entered Jim's mind, the buzz of Spock's unstable thoughts. Unable to think clearly, Spock leaned heavily on Jim, through the meld, seeking some kind of stability. Jim could feel the sharp angles of his mind, some beautiful, some ragged from old pain, and the haze surrounding everything. Nothing was really getting through.

He ripped at the haze with his thoughts, trying desperately to reach Spock. Through it all, he could feel Spock reaching back. In the meld, their minds touched, like their hands had just seconds…or was it minutes…before. The both clasped on tightly, the sounds around them sinking into oblivion so they could only sense each other's minds. There was a surprising sensation of blinding heat between them, and both of them lost consciousness.

… .. .

"Damn it…one of you please wake up."

Kirk would have smiled at the almost affectionate, soft tone in McCoy's voice if it didn't sound so worried. And if his head wasn't pulsing.

Not pounding.

Pulsing.

Curious. He felt warm, not just physically. He tingled. Was that because of the music from before? He should probably open his eyes, so Bones could stop worrying. And so he could figure out how he got back on the ship. Deciding that didn't sound like a bad idea, he let his eyes flicker open, slowly, leaving them open for any amount of time sent bright lights pounding through his skull.

Trust Sickbay to take the gentle, not really uncomfortable feeling and turn it into full blown discomfort.

"Jim!" McCoy shouted, racing to his side and immediately running scans.

"Shit. Bones. What happened?" He rubbed gently at his temple, finally able to fully open his eyes.

"That was what I was going to ask." Bones hissed. "Uhura intercepted some weird fucking radio wave on the planet and we beamed a crew down to figure out what was going on. They destroyed the machine making that god awful noise and captured the bastard behind the attack."

Jim nodded slowly, taking all that in. He figured it had been a direct attack on him and Spock.

"They found you and the hobgoblin unconscious on the ground." Bones continued, tone almost accusatory.

"W-what? Why are you looking at me like that?" Jim frowned, looking nervously down at his hands.

"You were holding his hand." He said flatly, purely accusatory.

"I had reached for him when the sound got really bad." He defended himself quickly, blushing. "It didn't mean anything."

"Uh hu. Just no more surprises. If you decide you like the little goblin you break it to me easily." McCoy had eased up after reading the scans.

"So can I leave?"

Bones stiffened, rapidly re-reading a piece of information. He clearly checked it five times before snapping his eyes up to Jim. There was concern and panic there. Kirk stiffened, trying to look at the PADD and promptly being denied.

"What aren't you telling me Jim? What happened?"

Jim frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Something's off in your brain waves. More serotonin than you should have in this kind of situation…and…signs of some kind of…mental voodoo…thing." He was staring into Jim's eyes, searching for something.

"Shit!" Jim jumped, realizing he didn't know where Spock was. "You said Spock was hurt too? Where is he?"

Bones growled as Jim cleared himself of the bed before he could press him back down. As Jim began looking around frantically, Bones gripped at his arm.

"What does that have to do with Spock?"

"The sounds were too much to be heard over so we tried to do a mind meld, but that was when we passed out." Jim dragged his friend along as he headed to a far bed.

McCoy dropped his arm like he had been burned, cursing up a storm. To Kirk's relief, he found Spock laying in a bed not too far from them. He was unconscious, paler than usual. On some primal instinct, Jim reached out and gripped his First Officer's shoulder. McCoy looked scandalized.

It was like magic though, as the unconscious Vulcan stirred, shifting as though he were about to wake. McCoy pushed Jim aside, mumbling something about having let him do that sooner if he had known it would wake his up. Jim watched nervously as McCoy ran his scans…twice. And re-read the information a few times.

"Is he okay?"

"Same problems as you Jim, which worries me. He's a fucking touch telepath. He shouldn't have noticeable residual traces of some mind voodoo."

"Doctor?" Spock tried to lift himself from the bed, not yet fully awake.

"You green blooded bastard. I want to know everything." McCoy was back at full tilt, rambling about the things he has to deal with.

Spock's eyes met Jim's and he visibly paled. There was a seriously off color to him and Jim recognized the look passing over his Commanders face immediately. Bones obviously recognized the look after years with Jim too because he pressed a bucket into the Vulcan's hands in time for him to retch into it. Jim couldn't help the worry that flared up in his chest at the sight.

He'd never seen the other man so vulnerable.

"Spock?" He asked tentatively.

"Jim." He croaked out, hoarse and desperate.

That one word had them all reeling. Kirk sat hard on the edge of the bed, suddenly dizzy. McCoy dropped his PADD, eyes like saucers glued to his face. Spock's eyebrows had almost disappeared into his hairline, his body visibly trembling.

"What the hell happened?" McCoy recovered first, scanning Spock again in light of his vomiting.

"I-" Spock stopped, ears turning a deep green. "We are…bonded."

Kirk was glad he was sitting, because he knew exactly what that word meant. Bones wished he had been sitting, because he promptly landed on his ass. It was a slight miracle he didn't faint. Spock looked deeply ashamed, eyes locked on his hands as his blush slowly deepened. It was an interesting effect, how he could look deathly pale and be blushing all at the same time.

"How?" Bones asked from the floor, staring up at him. "How the fuck did you two manage that?"

"I do not know." Spock admitted, shaking his head.

"Wh-what all does bonding usually entail?" Kirk tried to fight down his embarrassment.

Spock didn't look up, but he squared his shoulders, resigned that he had to share this private information. "My people usually form betrothal bonds at seven years. When two with compatible minds are found, they initiate a meld and a healer fastens the bond. It takes several years to mature and strengthen. Often, a healer is needed to ensure no damage comes to the bond."

"So it actually should take a lot of work?" McCoy had managed back to his feet, but was leaning on the wall incase of any further shocks.

"Indeed. While it is possible for two people to create a bond without the aid of a healer, it is usually weak." Spock looked up to meet Jim's eyes.

He was staring at him, a mixture of shock and uncertainty on his face. "What we have is a lot deeper, than?"

Spock inhaled sharply, pupils dilating at the connotations with that word. "I-indeed. I…have heard little about such a connection ever being formed."

"Little?" McCoy interrupted. "But you have heard of it happening?"

If either member of the room noticed the way Spock's breath was steadily becoming rougher, they didn't mention it. Nor did Bones comment on the way Jim was slowly but surely inching up the bed, leaning closer, riveted by what he was hearing.

Spock's blush deepened. "There…are stories. Legends and old poems."

Jim froze. "You mean this is a fucking fairytale?"

"I am sorry Ji-Captain. If I had known, I would have never initiated a mind meld." Everyone in the room flinched when he kept himself from saying Kirk's name.

"H-hold up." Jim had leaned back, affronted. "We'll figure this out. This…fluke…what ever happened, whatever needs done, we'll figure it out. I'm as much responsible for this as you are."

"Damn right you are." McCoy barked. "Might as well take probabilities and reverse them around you. Spock. Are there any side effects I should know about?"

Spock straightened even more, dragging his eyes from Kirk. "We can sense each other, but I will place a barrier for the time being. Though I do not know how long it will hold."

"And nothing else?"

"No, I do not believe so."

"Fuck…fine. Do what you need to do to figure this out. Keep me updated on everything. Until I'm sure I know what the fuck is going on, I'm restricting you both to light duty."

Jim looked indignant a second, before glancing sideways at Spock. Maybe light duty wouldn't be so bad an idea. Spock caught him staring and promptly stood from the bed. All at once, Jim felt cold. The pleasant buzz disappeared suddenly and it felt as though his knees had been taken out from under him. He slipped from the bed to the ground with a loud curse.

Spock was beside him in a fraction of a second. The chill was vibrating, but held. Slowly he was starting to feel like he normally did, which was decidedly worse without the pleasant sensation at the back of his mind.

"I apologize." Spock murmured, hands hovering as though he wished to grab Jim, but couldn't. "I did not realize the barrier between our connection would affect you in such a way."

Jim shook his head, eyeing McCoy and his magically appearing hypo. "I'm fine. It was just a shock."

The doctor reluctantly tucked it back into his pocket. "Go. Figure this the fuck out. Meditate or read up on old fairytales or something. Call Sarek."

Wrong thing to say.

Both men paled, dreading the thought of the opinionated Vulcan learning of such an embarrassing, and confusing happening. McCoy sighed, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Look. You don't have to do it if you can figure out what happened, but he is older than you. And he was bonded to a human."

At that, they both nodded. Spock hurried from the Sickbay without another word, but Jim remained seated on the floor, following after him with his eyes. McCoy joined him, shoving the hypospray forcefully into his neck as retribution.

"Shit! Bones! Why did you do that?"

"Because I told you no more surprises and now I find out you went and married that damn hobgoblin. Accident or not that counts as quite the surprise."

Jim nodded solemnly, face flushed. "I guess. I need to do some paperwork."

McCoy scowled as he hurriedly left. Those two would be the death of him. He had always known it, he just hadn't expected it to come with the fact they were married. He couldn't help the soft smile that graced his lips though. This could be good for them. Interesting, at least.

… .. .

"Nyota." Spock's voice cut through the chatter around her table.

Everyone glanced up at him and she sprang from the table, a relieved smile on her face. It promptly fell though when she took in his ragged, bereaved appearance. The others shared he concerned look, worry for their Commander unfettered.

"Did McCoy really release you from Sickbay?" She put her hands on her hips, frowning.

"I was released for light duty." He inclined his head slightly, eyebrow raised at her tone.

She sighed, visibly relaxing. The table around her did the same, casting warm smiles at him, though they expected no reaction back. To their surprise, he nodded lightly, acknowledging their concern.

"I am in need of your assistance." He addressed Uhura again.

"Oh? What do you need?" She cocked her head to the side, knitting her brow as she tried to think of what he could require.

"It is a private matter. Would you accompany me somewhere more appropriate?"

She jolted, surprised by the statement. The table tittered behind her, giggling and assuming. She blushed lightly, but nodded. As he turned his back, he caught whisper of someone discussing the benefits of having a girlfriend on ship after a difficult mission. His whole body tensed and a low growl issued from his throat before he could control it. Everyone went silent.

Uhura's eyes widened and, when Spock started away, she followed silently, all traces of a blush wiped clean from her face. She'd have blushed, previously, as Spock opened the door to his room, but the gravity of what ever he was waiting to say clearly held no room for romance. After he had ensured the room was locked, he directed her to join him sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Spock…What's going on?"

"I am bonded." His voice was steady, but the look he gave her was so full of remorse that she almost wanted to cry.

"I know." She admitted. "You've been engaged since you were seven."

"No. Nyota." He sighed, correcting her. "My betrothed died on Vulcan. I am bonded to another."

"What?" She didn't mean for her voice to sound so flat, but she found it hard to grasp that he would form another bond without her knowledge.

"I do not know how it happened. It was as though our minds chose for themselves." His eyes were nearly pleading for her to understand, though his body remained rigidly stoic.

"But…wouldn't that mean this person was your T'hy'la?" She didn't sound upset, just confused.

Spock hissed, eyes widening. Had hadn't considered the possibility. To find one who was so compatible was beyond dreams themselves. Many tales told of how Vulcan's had spent their entire lives searching for their T'hy'la and never found them. To think of such a thing as more than just legend was amazing. Sure, many Vulcan's used the term of endearment for their cherished ones, but he had never heard of one truly existing.

"What do you know of those legends?" He asked softly.

"Just that two souls will call to each other across time and space and, should they touch, they would be inseparable." She was breathy, a wistful tone to her voice.

Spock shifted awkwardly. "In any of the…legends you read, did it say anything about removing such a bond?"

"Removing!" She all but shrieked, flying to her feet. "Why would you want to do that? This is amazing. Shouldn't you be happy?"

She froze, suddenly questioning his timing. He had come straight to her after leaving Sickbay. After having been rendered unconscious on the planet. With only Kirk and the dignitaries that had tried to hurt them there. She had a feeling she knew exactly what was going on. Judging by the pinched look in his eyes, he knew she knew.

"Did Jim say he didn't want this?"

He flinched. Visibly flinched.

"No. But we are still attempting to determine what happened."

"You melded. Your souls recognized each other. You bonded. End of story." She huffed. "Something like that can't be wrong. You two love each other."

Spock shook his head, looking defeated. "We are amicable at best."

"That's bull. You may not realize it yet, but you two belong together."

"I…I will consider it. I must meditate now."

She took the hint, leaving with one last good bye and a firm look, telling him to just admit what she had already come to see.

… .. .

Yeoman Rand would be ecstatic. Kirk was actually doing his paperwork. He was signing off on all the papers that needed signed and writing reports. It was all mechanical though. He had hoped to sneak off to think, but found he was incapable of focusing. The mechanical work of paperwork was something he could do until he got his feet back under him. He didn't notice as Uhura came up behind him until she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Jesus! Uhura! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" He clutched his chest in honest anxiety.

Her face didn't twist into its usual, annoyed amusement. Her face was firm and eyes narrowed slightly. He realized very quickly why she would be looking at him like that. Spock was her boyfriend. He would tell her. Which means she knew they were bonded and their relationship was a bit screwed up.

"Uhura. I'm so sorry. I-"

He was cut off by the shock of her arms wrapping around his shoulders. Bemused, he hugged her back. When she pulled back, a soft smile was on her face, though she looked expectant.

"I've been chasing you since before I entered the academy and it takes stealing your boyfriend to get you to hug me?" Jim laughed in an incredulous whisper.

She folded her arms in front of her chest, eyes narrowed again. "I knew what he and I had was temporary. I was expecting him to want to break it off an get together with his fiancée, but she died on Vulcan."

Jim flinched. "Oh. So…what is this?"

She smiled, sitting next to him on the observation deck's couch. "Kind of like true love. Destiny and all that."

Jim frowned immediately. "There is no such thing as destiny."

"You two are made for each other. Give it up. I'm thrilled that he got the change to have someone perfect for him in his life. Break his heart and I will kill you in the slowest, most tortuous way I know how." She hissed, eyes snapping with annoyance.

"I…we're not in love."

"Maybe not IN love, but you do love each other. Why do you both have to be so stubborn?"

"But…I mean…" Jim frowned.

Why was he arguing against this?

He sprang from his seat, clapping his hand on Uhura's shoulder as he decided to run from the room. He and Spock needed to talk. Desperately.

… .. .

Jim slammed his fist on the door to Spock's room, pounding in a vain attempt to get his Commander's attention. The door slid open and Spock's eyes widened in surprise.

"Ji-Captain."

"It's Jim." Kirk stepped past him, entering the room.

"Jim?" Spock frowned, "What is wrong?"

"Drop the barrier. We're making this work." He couldn't keep all of the trembling from his voice.

"Are you sure?" Spock met his eyes, a touch of wistful desire in his voice.

"Yeah. We can figure out the whole…other aspect later." Jim smiled, confidence back almost immediately at his friend's tone.

"Very well, T'hy'la." Spock lowered his shields, letting his uncertainty be squashed by Jim's conviction.

"Oooh." Jim grinned. "I like how that word feels. What does it mean?"

"Friend, Brother…lover." His voice dropped at the last word, but he found he wasn't embarrassed.

Jim blushed a bit, but kept grinning. "We'll see about that last one, T'hy'la."

… .. . .. …

**Fluffy Crack.**


End file.
